My array of desk toys is a never-ending attraction to the kids.  Right now there are two favorites – the Yoda Button and the iPad.

I have been doing as much as possible with the iPad over the past few months so I can make a judgement where they fit.  The kids are excited to now that we have six for the library.  For the most part they like them.  I enjoy the opportunity to share ideas.

People who just do a quick dabble in the iPad world seem to see them as an extravagant toy.  Now that I’ve had it for a year, I’d be lost without it.  I still use it mainly as a reading and email machine.  The earth is definitely benefiting as I feel far less need to print.  BiP (Before iPad) if I wanted to read a lengthy web article, I would print it.  Now I simply bookmark it into my Instapaper account, and read the article in portrait mode – just as I read a novel. Scrolling with the touch screen somehow anchors me to the text in a similar way that reading a print book or magazine engages me.

The most unexpected consequence?  The social nature of this machine. Where a cell phone and other texting devices exclude other people in the room, the iPad seems to invite people into the circle.   It is easy for several people to read together.  I see that as a real benefit to encourage our students to learn how to work together.

It is also much more relaxing to use than a laptop.  At home, I rarely disappear into my office anymore to catch up on my email and news reader.  Instead, I use the iPad while my hubby and I enjoy an evening together.  We chat about what I am reading.  If Bob is watching something I don’t like on TV, I can read my traditional book or read an ebook.

What about libraries?  I feel we need to get into all this as quickly as possible.  If I were not a frequent library user, I can see how the ease of downloading books would soon ensure that I never bothered to go again.  What would keep me using the library, at least virtually, is the Scrooge side of my character.  I am simply too cheap to download books when I can get them free from the library.

I have finally been able to download the Overdrive iPod app and use it on my iPad so I can download eBooks from the public library.  Before that, I was in danger of burning up my credit card on Amazon, Barnes and Nobel and iBooks.